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Airport Workers Charged in Mini-Liquor Bottle Theft

A table displays some of the goods allegedly stolen by 18 employees of Sky Chef at a press conference at JFK on Wednesday afternoon.

Eighteen workers at John F. Kennedy International Airport were charged Wednesday in connection with the alleged theft of more than 100,000 mini-liquor bottles as well as duty-free merchandise over the past five months.

Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said 15 truck drivers for Sky Chef, American Airlines’ food service subcontractor, were arrested on grand larceny and possession of stolen property charges in what he said was the theft of more than $750,000 worth of liquor, perfume and cigarette cartons.

Three airport security guards were also charged with grand larceny and possession of stolen property and two of them with taking bribes, Brown said in a statement.

The district attorney said the investigation, dubbed “Operation Last Call,” found that the liquor and other merchandise was being re-sold “in the local underground economy.” A mini-bottle of Irish cream liqueur, vodka, cognac or scotch fetched between 55 cents and $1.25 when sold on the black market, Brown said. The airlines, however, sell these bottles for as much as $7 apiece, he said.